Sectional bookcase.



No. 863,286. l PATENTED AUG. 13,1907'.

J. L. KERSHAW. I

SBCTIONAL BOOKGASB. APPLICATION FILED JULY 21.1905'.

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IINII'E STATES JAMES L. KERSHAW, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SE CTIONAL BOOKCASE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application filed July 21,1905. Serial No. 270,723.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES L. Innsniiw, aeitizen of the United States, and a resident oi Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sectional Bookcases, of which I hereby declare the iollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention consists in the employment oi' eqnalizing levers pivoted upon the case adjacent to the plane of the door, when the door is withdrawn into the case. These levers have their iulcrum or pivotal points on a common line, and their inner extremities extend upon opposite sides oi that line.

To cause a simultaneous and strictly coincident movement of the two levers in the same direction, their inner ends are Connected by a short link which Crosses this center line, the effect oi such an arrangement is to move the inner ends in short intersecting arcs, and for a short distance they move nearly in the same direction, while the outer ends move in larger arcs, and the outer extremities remain for a certain distance in line parallel to the center line oi the fulcrum points. These outer extremities are secured to the edges oi the door by means oi connecting links, whereby the smooth parallel movement of the outer extremities oi the levers is connnunicatcd to the door,

both when the door is pulled out and when it is pushed into the case.

Means for causing the door, to withdraw automatically within the case when it is raised to the horizontal position also form an element oi this invention.

The invention further consists in the combination and arrangement oi parts, as hereinafter described,

- shown in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a plan view of one section of a sectional book case, showing the edge oi the door, which is closed in front of the case, and showing the equalizing levers pivoted upon a cross bar of the case; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the saine showing the door raised to the horizontal position and withdrawn into the case, Fig. 3 is a broken perspective view of one oi the levers, pivoted upon the bar shown in Fig. l and showing the link connecting the end of the lever with the door and the position of the spring which serves to withdraw the door into the case when raised to a horizontal position.

In these views l is the case provided with vertical side pieces 2 in which are rabbeted the shoulders 3 upon which the door D rests when withdrawn within the case; 4 is a bar on the upper edges of the case, upon which the levers 5 are iulcrumed at 6 so that they lie above the door when it is horizontally withdrawn into the case, the books when in the case being below the door. The inner or short arms 7 of the levers extend on opposite sides of a line connecting th'e iulcrum points 6, and a link 8 connects their extremities. The outer extremities of the long arms are turned at right angles to the arms at 9 so as to directly engage and push upon the inner edge of the door when it is in the horizontal position. However this is not absolutely essential provided the connecting means with the door' is sufficiently positive. Links l0 connect these extremities with hooks Il on the inner face oi the door near its inner or upper edge and located preferably at the pivotal points or projections l2 or in line therewith, so that the tension of the springs I4 will have no effect to open or Close the door, when the door is in the vertical position.

The movement oi the levers is not great, as will be seen by referring to the iigures, where, the extreme limits of movement are shown, and it is necessary that an exact proportion should be observed between the lengths'of the long and short arms, otherwise the device will not be operative. The proportion given is about oi the length oi the lever. I do not claim however, the exact proportions since a difference in construction might necessitate a difference in proportion of the various parts. The short and long arms are also joined at an angle as shown, so as to obtain room between them or the link and to give length to the link.

In use the movement of one lever is exactly duplicated in the other lever, so that it is quite impossible for the two ends of the door to move otherwise than exactly alike. For instance, il the door is pulled from one corner the link on that side will compel the lever on that side to follow the door, and the levers being connected for simultaneous movement the opposite lever will push upon the opposite end o the door with equal force so that the two ends must move parallel to the case.

In Fig. 3 a view is shown oi one lever having a downwardly turned end to engage the edge oi the door. To provide means for automatically withdrawing the door in the case, a coiled spring I4 is inserted in the bar 4 and is provided with one end l5 inserted in the lever and another extremity 16 inserted in the wood work, thus providing power by means oi which the door is automatically withdrawn into the case as soon as it is raised to the horizontal position. rIhe coiled portion oi this spring is wholly inclosed within the bar and one extremity is inserted in a slot I7 in the bar, the other being attached to the lever. This is the only practical way in which a spring can be used to withdraw the door since there is otherwise no room for a sufficient number oi coils to operate theldoor all the way back to the rear ofthe case.

I am aware that previous inventors have provided a sliding door with various loosely arranged levers, to approximate a parallel movement and that a multiplicity of levers have been employed to operate against gravity to provide a parallel movement. But such is not of the spirit ot the invention. I believe, however', that I am the first to provide the sliding and pivoted door oi a sectional book case with separated equalizing levers having ulcrum points spaced apart from each other and having their inner extremities turned on opposite sides oi the line connecting their ulcrum points, and having these arms connected by a link. The peculiar etliciency and practicability oi this device l believe to be new for this purpose.

The pivotal points upon which the doors swing are the natural and convenient positions for attachment oi the springs, so that the springs will act freely to Withdraw the door when it is in the horizontal position but will not have any effect to open orclose the door when it is hanging in the vertical position. When no springs are employed, it is not important that the links or other flexible attachments be attached to the door at its pivotal points or to the inner face oi the door, -that however is the preferable position of the points of attachment.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. ln a bookcase section, the combination with the sides and a connecting cross bar and a door adapted to slide horizontally within the section, of equalizing levers separately fulcrumed intermediate their ends upon said crossbar, the inner or short arms of the levers projecting re spcctively on each side of a line connecting the iulcrum points, a link pivotally connecting the outer extremities of the short arms, and links connecting,- the outer extremities of the long arms of the levers with the door, substantially as described.

2. ln a bookcase section, the combination with the sides and a connecting cross bar, and a door adapted to slide horizontally within the section and to hang pivotally in the front or' the section when drawn out, of .equalizing levers Separately fulcrumed intermediate their ends upon said cross bar, the inner or short arms of the levers projecting respectively on each side of a line connectingthc r'ulcrum points, a link pivotally connecting the outer extremities of the short arms, and links connecting the outer extremities of the long arms of the levers with the inner face of the door, and springs secured to said bar and severally engaging said levers, substantially as described.

3. In a book ease section the combination with the sides and connecting cross bar and a drop door adapted to slide horizontally within the section, and to hang' vertically therein upon pivotal supports when drawn out, of equalizing levers separately t'ulcrumed upon said cross bar intermediate of their ends, and turned downwardly at their outer' ends, links connecting said downwardly turned outer' ends with the inner edge of the door in line with said pivotal points of support, and means for cordinating the movements of said levers about their pivots, substantially as described.

l. In a book-case section having a top board, the combination, with the movable door, of two spring-actuated levers pivoted to the under side of the top board, said levers having their inner ends curved away from each other and their outer ends bent downward, a link pivotally connected at its ends respectively with the curved inner ends of said levers, and ilexible connections between the outer down-turned ends of said levers and said door near its upper corners, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this 19"' day of July 1905.

JAMES L. KERSHAW.

Witnesses WM. M. MoNRon, Guo. S. Conn. 

